Tall Tales and Tigrex Teeth
by SiliasRam1.0
Summary: A cocky, but inexperienced hunter gets in over his head after being requested by his Village Chief to slay a Tigrex in the Snowy Mountain regions. Violence, language, and suggestive themes. My 1st FanFic ever so feedback is appreciated. A four part story.
1. Chapter 1

[A/N: I added about a thousand words to this chapter to complete it. Be sure to look out for Chapter 2 , which should be posted by the end of this weekend.]

* * *

Chapter 1

Blood in the snow

The shrieks of whetstone and metal sung as Eki sat in the nesting grounds inside the snow capped mountains sharpening his Black Katana Longsword. Around him were the bodies of three Blangos, but they were all but invisible as he slid the smooth stone against the edge of his weapon. Sharpening always put him at ease, but the Blangos bodies had already gone cold, and he was fastidiously wasting supplies. Realizing that no matter how sharp his weapon, the coating would not have anything but a faint blue glimmer to it. Added to the fact that in all the epic tales he heard as a boy, no hunter had ever slay a beast hiding from it. _**"Calm down Eki… a sharp sword doesn't kill unless swung at something…,"**_ he said to himself, repeating it as if it were a mantra. Lowering the stone, he placed it back in his bag, resting the sword on his shoulder.

Sighing and realizing the cold was starting to nip through his near complete Tigrex armor, Eki took another sip of his Hot Drink. _**"Did I have to talk so much when I got back to the village…?"**_ Eki muttered to himself as he shouldered his weapon, walking out of the cavern. Up ahead were three Giaprey, but Eki ignored them, dodging the petty swipes of the one brave enough to confront him. The other two watching from afar, no doubt put off by the smell of his armor, something he notice as he peered through the summit opening, "Let's hope this works on our striped friend."

At the top of the mountain, the wind howled fiercely, a flurry of snow and ice brushing off his armor, melting onto the few exposed parts of his warm face. He found himself wishing the blood that ran through his veins were half as cold as this breeze. He could see the edge of the range from where he stood, its serene beauty lost on the macabre feeling lingering from his walk from the village. Eki considered pulling out his map for a moment, but reconsidered, the horrid weather conditions making it all but impossible to see anything, let alone hold on to a flimsy piece of paper.

Turing to see some more Blangos, Eki noticed the Ballooner. If he could see the eye in the sky, then surely he had already been spotted as well. With much reluctance, he placed his hand in the air, keeping an eye out for anything foolish enough to attack. A customary gesture, the Ballooner pointed him in the direction of his quarry, the beast at the base of the mountain stalking smaller prey. Confirming his fears that this was in fact real, and there was no running, the armor acted in a way that allowed him to sense the monster's location without the map.

Doing a last minute check for supplies, he realized he had wasted a lot of stamina lounging about and stalling so he reached for a piece of barbequed meat. His search yielded the fact that this was indeed the last of his meat, an item he always neglected to bring. Having skipped the rations in a foolish last minute act of bravado, Eki ventured around the summit, looking for a stray Anteka or Popo to make a last minute carve. He made a left, following the widest open trail to the east face of the mountain, the Blangos doing nothing more than watching as he passed.

The weather was marginally better on this side, but there were no Popo's in sight, the account of the sole surviving hunter proven true. He considered scaling back down the mountain until a stray Popo made its way up a side trail. The beast seemed frightened from afar, its movement were spastic, as if it were on the run, or separated from its pack. _**"Not a very big Popo, but three carves is three carves."**_ Eki said, devouring the sole piece of meat to regain his lost stamina and clear up the item space. Finishing, and not even taking the time to clean his fingers, Eki reached for his sword, heading toward the disoriented beast. The beast was in his line of sight, and he prepared to slice into the Popo when his armor began to prickle against his skin. It was just like when the Ballooner pinpointed the monster, and grew more intense as he got closer. _**"Something's not…"**_ was all he could mutter before he stopped in his tracks. The large shadow behind the Popo seemed to vanish instantly, and a Tigrex materialized in its location, smashing the ground with its heavy body. The arched eye ridges, the chiseled frame, its definitive stripes, tremendous sweeping tail and large mouth filled with serrated teeth were often the last thing many smaller monsters and hunters alike ever saw.

Eki's heart seemed to swell and in his chest, his breath gone he watched in horror as the Tigrex effortlessly smashed the Popo's side with a powerful swing from its razor sharp claws. The poor creature smashed into the exposed side of the mountain, dead before its wooly body slumped to the ground. Looking at its prey, the Tigrex caught view of Eki in its peripheral vision, its beady, bloodshot eyes staring straight into the core of the petrified hunter. The effects of the Hot Drink were seemingly rendered moot, the ice water Eki so wished for replaced by the cold, dead emptiness of terror. Eki could feel it under his feet as the beast dug its bloody claws into the fresh powder, it powerful neck muscles writhing as it unleashed a blood curdling roar no doubt heard all the way back at the village.

It was the fury of the monster's roar brought back him to his senses. The Tigrex's vocal attack made more offensive by the sickly-sweet odor of flesh and blood on its breath. Lowering his sword to offer himself a more tactically sound position, Eki would seem to have steeled himself, knowing that failure was not an option here. The screeching of the gale would either sing the splendor of victory, or screech a somber tale of his failure. That is if the Tigrex left anything to sing about, the best launched itself at Eki at full speed, trampling the slain Popo underneath its advance.

Seeing the trampled Popo's misshapen form made Eki reconsider his original plan of attack, choosing to sheathe his weapon and move than make his stand and be trampled. Eki sprung into the air, his arms outstretched as he dived to the left of the beast, who lunged at the spot where the hunter no longer stood. Quickly regaining his bearings Eki curled his toes, snug in his Tigrex Greaves, and slightly bent his knees as he retrieved his weapon. Hoping his previous efforts added the necessary spring to his step; Eki dove at the turning beast and began his offensive with a hard downward slash. Following through, Eki proceeded to stab the monster, whose growls grew louder with every wound. Before Eki could make a side slash, the beast turned its large head, snapping at the hunter who only deftly escaped its maw at the last moment. Eki noticed his breath was shorter than usual, his anxiousness causing him to exert himself further than he would have like to.

The Congalala's and Yian Kut-ku were novice fare compared to the Tigrex, and this particular specimen seemed to eye Eki more fiercely than he had liked. _**"It's this damn armor; it thinks I'm mocking it…"**_ Eki said, clenching his hands on the hilt of his Longsword. Preparing another set of attacks, Eki moved in close, only noticing at the last second that the Tigrex had flexed its claws, taunting. It was then, with blinding speed that Eki watched the beast's body spin, Eki making the move to partially retreat only to be slashed across the chest by the Tigrex's tail. He could not decide what would hurt more, the lingering sting of the tail across his chest or the inevitable collision with the ground. His question was soon answered as his body smacked the ground, the snow providing little to no cushion as he tumbled backward. Using his sword to stop his movement, plunging the blade into the cold ground he lean his body onto his weapon for leverage.

"_**Damn it, is that all you got?"**_ Eki asked defiantly, spitting a thick glob of both blood and saliva in between him and the monster. Taking cues, the Tigrex continued to growl, its beady sapphire eyes aimed square on Eki. The monster drew its left arm back, bringing it back to the front with a swing powerful enough to unearth three large and heavy stones on the ground in front itself. Eki dodged to the right, missing the rocks but utterly horrified by the damaged they left in the wake of the collision. _**"I've seen Large Barrel Bombs do less damage…"**_ Eki muttered to himself, realizing that this monster was far more dangerous than he had previously assumed. Sheathing his weapon again, Eki thought to put some distance between him and the monster.

Reaching into his bag while searching for a decent stretch of land, Eki found what he was looking for, a small spherical sphere, still buzzing from the movement of the creature inside. _**"Hey, you ugly, striped freak, come and get it**_." Eki said aloud, making sure the Tigrex was still in pursuit of him. Indeed, it was, snarling and treading for its prey, Eki palmed the hollow stone for the extended trigger. Sure that enough ground was available for himself, Eki increased his running speed, pressing the button he crushed the Flashbug stuck to the small Sap Plant inside. Counting a second or two, Eki threw the Flash Bomb in front of himself and directly in the Tigrex's line of sight, diving again head first into the snow with his eyes down. The detonation was immediate, Eki having timed the explosion precisely, the sting of cold on his face was no match for the happiness he felt from hearing the cries of confusion from the Tigrex, now blinded shortly. Standing to his feet, Eki took the opportunity to catch his breath. His hands on his knees, he panted and counted down as the Tigrex flailed about, attacking the empty air indiscriminately. Eki drunk a Mega Potion quickly and again went to fetch his weapon, checking the glow of its sheen. _**"Green already… there should be a lot more of your hide on this weapon."**_ Eki said, moving over to the monster's tail. With a quick succession of slashes, starting at the top and moving to the sides, Eki reddened the snow with the monster's blood and striped skin. Bringing his sword over his head, he prepared to attack again until he saw the monster blinking profusely, shaking its head as the effect of the Flash Bomb had worn off. The Tigrex turned about to face him, receiving a slash across its snout as Eki cut a swath while leaping backward, staggering the beast. Eki could have seen himself smiling at that deft maneuver, but the Tigrex seemed to grow infuriated by the hunter's attacks. Eki watched as its claws and skin around its neck grew red, with the outline of its eyes becoming blood shot to match. _**"Enraged… Dammit not now…"**_ Eki groaned as the Tigrex rushed toward him, its speed and size increased with its anger.

It lunged forward with a fearsome bite attack, which Eki tried to parry with his blade, having no other recourse. The extension of his arm seemed only to aid the Tigrex, who went for a secondary bite, something Eki had not planned for. The monster caught him on his side with its mouth, its powerful bit crushing down on his chest and torso despite his armor. His sword still in hand was worthless at this point, and before he could even attempt to fight back, the Tigrex swung its neck around and launched him into the air. Crashing against the side of the cliff, Eki rolled to the ground, broken and battered, his eyes as clouded as the summit sky. All he could see as he slipped into unconsciousness was the monster roaring, and making its way to turn toward him, everything growing darker as the monster drew closer. Not even having enough strength to clench his weapon's hilt, Eki swallowed painfully, and fell into the darkness, the sound of small, squeaky wheels ringing in his ears was the last thing he heard besides the monster's approach.


	2. Chapter 2

[A/N: If you missed out, go back and read the first chapter in this story to understand what's going on, I added some stuff you may have missed. Sorry this chapter took so long to upload, and sorry again if you read and feel its too slow given the last chapter was so action filled. I want to build some tension and give some insight as to who Eki is as person, give purpose to his motivations. Also shout out to GRIMMKAMIKAZE, read their Silent Hill fic when you get the chance. And now, back to the story...]

* * *

Chapter 2

Stepping on your own tail

Sitting at the Guild Hall table, his mug of ale now room temperature, Eki watched as the three hunters collected their Zenny payout from the attendant. They were his former partners, their relation beginning and ending in one hunt, Eki rubbed his neck under his Kut-Ku helm in embarrassment, his face nearly as red as the feathered scales of the beast that made his dressings. Two of the hunters, both Gunners, didn't even bother to glance his way as they left the Guild Hall, friends it seemed, they strode out laughing about one of their comments to the scantily dressed attendant. Reaching nervously for his mug, and hoping to not draw any more attention to himself, Eki prepared to sip until he looked over at remaining hunter, a female wielding a Hammer in Azure Rathalos armor, her gaze red hot and burning right through him. Timidly, he gulped too much, and began to cough, slamming his mug on the table, further embarrassed by his awkwardness.

"Don't tell me the piss that passes for Ale in here is gonna do you in too novice. Next time you wanna see that hard working hunters lose a third of the cut, make sure I'm not there. One shoted by a Tigrex and a cup of weak beer." She said angrily as she retrieved her hammer and satchel full of Tigrex parts, storming out of the Guild Hall, rudely bumping into someone one her way out. Her contempt only added to his humiliation, Eki sighed as he starred into his cup. Grabbing the handle with her words fresh in his mind, Eki downed the remainder of the warm brew, slamming the cup back onto the table.

"Could be worse you know… You could be on inside that monster's tummy right now, and not being yelled at by some disgruntled hunter." The Guild attendant said in a warm voice, hoping her bubbly attitude could brighten his demeanor. She leaned forward on the counter, smiling brightly in Eki's direction.

Blushing again, this time from modesty, Eki grabbed his bag of Tigrex hide, claws, and fangs, forcing a small smile as he went to the counter to collect his share. "A part of me is still in there I think… I hope he choked on it." Eki said to the attendant, trying to be more upbeat as she slid him his share Zenny. He collected his earnings, and shouldering his loot, he waved goodbye to her as he exited the Guild Hall, making the trek back to his village.

During his walk, he recanted the brief hunt, in which he was knocked unconscious by the Tigrex's charge while attempting to heal himself from a previous injury in the same vicinity. He knew he was out of place joining the expedition in the Guild Hall, but when no one made a fuss or even attempted to check his Guild card, he felt assured the hunt would go smooth from there. His hubris proved to be his undoing, and he was unprepared to fight the Tigrex, his amateur mistakes and bravado costing his teammates a third of the money for the hunt, the funds going to pay for the Guild Felynes that man the rescue cart and base supply delivery.

"Taunting the damn thing probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world, but she didn't say anything to those jokers with the guns. Their Stat Shots didn't even work, but she said nothing, my luck I suppose…" Eki said as the village came into view a half an hour or so into his walk. Above his head, his could see the watchtowers, where the village sentries stood their guard, watching for any threats to the cozy hamlet.

"Back from hunting already Eki, you didn't let those Velocidromes get the best of you did ya?" One of the guardsmen said mockingly, pointing his heavy Bowgun in Eki path. The other guard chuckled, and Eki wanting to suffer no further disgrace from tower guards brazenly stopped in his path. Dropping his bag, he reached inside, fishing for something large and prominent.

"Velocidromes… right. I wish I could bravely face the dangers of watching things as they happen, and standing safely above it all with a ceremonial weapon in hand. While you chumps were daydreaming and picking your noses I had more important things to do…" Eki said in his most braggadocios voice, pulling a nice portion of the monsters jawbone, stripes visible along with some of its teeth. Eki looked on as the guard squinted at his bounty, moving to grab his viewing glass, and after a surprising reassurance that Eki had indeed slain a Tigrex. His partner expressed a similar sentiment as he viewed it for himself. "If you children are done gawking, could you signal the other watch-monkeys to open the gate? A real Hunter has returned to Teiroru Village." Eki continued arrogantly, the more vocal of the guardsmen turning toward the gate to signal the door attendant to open it.

The creaking of the villages wooden gate sound like a symphony to his ears now that he was safe inside the village walls. As he walked inside there was the usually cast of characters, the children running around playing hunters and monsters with their wooden sticks and over-sized clothing. Then there were the peddlers, selling their wares to prospective onlookers, some loudly proclaiming to be better than the competition, the others silently content with their present customers. One of the Village elders was perched on her usual stoop, being attended to her Feylene as nearsighted as she was. Eki gave a courteous nod as he past her, making his way to the village blacksmith. His stroll through the village was a bit more gallant today, but for appearance sake, it was necessary, he did not want anyone to find out that the Tigrex parts he harbored were pity carves, and that he was still nowhere near skilled enough to fell one on his own.

Dropping the bag on the counter with a hefty thud, Eki leaned against the counter, looking for the blacksmith or his Feylene assist. Though neither of them visible, Eki could see the smoke form the forge, and he could smell the hot metal and monster parts as well. He was about to call for assistance until a loud explosion from the back sent a charred Feylene soaring past him, landing in the Popo feed pile across from the store. "Damn stupid cat, I told you to wash the Gunpowder of your hands before handling fire sacs…" Aki said, disgruntled as usual, about to hurl more obscenities before he saw Eki there with his goods. He was a fairly large and plain faced man, possessing deep blue eyes, his face covered in a fair share of black hair and scars, his massive and sculpted arms uncovered saved for his Silver Rathalos Greaves, which he wore even while forging.

"If you're done practicing cat cooking, you think you forge me some armor?" Eki said yawning. The Feylene stood to its feet and dusted himself off. After making sure its whiskers were still there, he hobbled back to the store, going around the side rather than climb atop the counter.

"Let me guess, more Kut-Ku and Drome parts?" Aki said matching Eki's arrogance with his own signature smugness. Opening the bag and peering inside, he was puzzled as to the volume of Tigrex parts, as well as to how Eki managed to get them. He turned back to Eki, stone faced, not sure if whether to be suspicious or impressed.

"Funny, I didn't know Kut-Ku's had stripes and teeth like daggers, must be a new breed. Anyways, take the rest of this Zenny and add it to my current funds and forge what you can." Eki said with a smirk on his face. Scratching his chin, he continued to stare at the stoic blacksmith, to the point of nervousness he could feel the sweat leaking underneath his helmet until Aki began shaking his head. Shrugging the Blacksmith collect the currency and placing it inside his apron. Before he could close the bag, Eki stopped him, reaching inside and breaking off a Tigrex Fang. "A souvenir…" Eki proclaimed, closing his eyes sincerely, as if he were relishing in his conquest.

"The only souvenir a real hunter needs is the experience of the hunt." Aki said gruffly, snatching the bag off the counter, making his way to the back. "Come back in an hour or so, it should be done by then…" He finished

Eki watched him return to the back, his joy effectively slain by the wisdom Aki tossed his way, his only retort, "Nice gloves by the way." as he walked toward peddler's alley, seating himself on a nearby bench. The same children he saw when he entered the village noticed the sharp item in his possession, Eki moving the Tigrex Fang between his fingers as if it were a toy and not formerly apart of such a dangerous beast. Finally acknowledging how they were looking at him, Eki tossed the fang in the air and caught it as it fell in front of him, "So... who wants to be the first to ask me how loud the Tigrex cried when I killed it? Eki asked in his habitual fashion.

"That's no Tigrex tooth..." One of the older, more skeptical children had to say.

"Yeah, knowing you it was probably another Congalala..." another child chimed in.

"Hey you little brats, I was trying to be..." Eki boomed before a small voice cut through his own.

"Was it a big Tigrex, and did it breath fire?" said the smallest of the group. He was a meek child, his light brown skin and teal hair making him somewhat an oddity, but still as scruff and dirt covered as the rest of the would-be child hunters. Smiling at the child, and ignoring the other children who would rather diminish his victory than celebrate it, Eki rubbed the child's head with his hand, messing his hair a bit.

"Tigrexes don't breath fire little guy, but they do eat naysayers and twerps like these two for breakfast." Eki said with a chuckle, the other children responding with petty insults of their own. Looking at the boy, and happy at least one person believed his story, Eki took a string from his bag, one he would have used in fishing and strung the Fang up like a necklace, placing it around the boy's neck. "Looks good on you kid, what's your name? I'm Eki by the way." Eki asked, looking on graciously at his one admirer.

"Zeshin!" He responded back with elation. He marveled at his new treasure, much to the envy of his playmates. Before they could further bask in the moment, there seemed to be a commotion in the center of the village that piqued Eki's curiosity.

"Stay here guys, and don't you too take his Fang or I'll slice you both open like the Dungprey you are." Eki said, parting with another pat to the head of young Zeshin. What he saw was the Village Elder comforting and question a very haggard looking man. He seemed terrified, his Mafumofu clothing covered in both mud and blood, he was on his knees struggling to breathe as the Elder continued his questioning.

"And as for the others that went with you?" the Elder Doreko said in his stern, craggy voice. Short, but possessing an immense presence, the surrounding villagers and peddlers hung onto his word, knowing that when he spoke the best course of action was to listen.

"Baito and Chuu... that monster devoured them. It attacked us while we were gathering Mountain Herbs, the weather was nowhere near as clear and Granny predicted, but we were so close to our quota before it attacked." Rojeru, the fatigued man responded, grasping each breath as if it were his last.

"There were four of you on the Mountain Herb expedition..." Doreko said solemnly as he helped Rojeru to his feet.

"Laara... my Laara. She stayed behind so I could flee... I begged her, pleaded with her to stay with her, but she insisted... she..." Rojeru said as he broke down, falling back his knees and bursting into tears. All Eki could do is stand with the crowd and mourn over the fate of the Gathering party. He felt a small tug at the back of his pants as he stood, folding his arms wondering where the other village hunters were. It was the boy from before, Zeshin, with the Fang dangling from his neck. Before Eki could even mouth word, the boy pushed past him, running to where the Village gatherer collapsed and the Elder that stood stoically beside him.

"PAPA!" Zeshin cried as Eki could feel a mountain sized lump in his throat, realizing reaching for the boy would do nothing; he remained with his arms crossed. "Papa, what happened? Where's Mama, and why is there blood on your clothes?" Zeshin asked so innocently as his father struggled to mouth the words, the tension tearing at Eki's insides.

"She's back on the mountain Zeshin... She... she gave me the chance to escape, to come get help from the village. The Tigrex... the Tigrex is still there, it killed the others and the pack Popo's... and..." Rojeru said again, grasping his son, who joined him in his tear, fearing the worst for his mother.

A somber mood filled the air as the villagers could do but whisper as to what could be done before Doreko raised his hand to silence them all before he spoke. "We must assemble a team of hunters to rescue the woman and salvage the expedition, we need those Mountain Herbs for the sick and still injured in the village." Doreko said as he rubbed his chin beneath his wrinkled face, realizing he may have erred in his planning. "But, they won't be back for another half a day from the Fortress." Doreko said grimly. As he turned to head for the main hall, Zeshin turned to him, his face still wet with fresh tears.

"Eki... send Eki to save my mother. He beat one; he beat a Tigrex by himself, and look at what he gave me." Zeshin said, stuttering his words behind the whimpers as he showed the Elder the Fang. Inspecting it and verifying the origin with his wisdom, Doreko nodded and placed a hand on the child's shoulder as he turned to Eki.

"Is this true, can you fell this beast and rescue the others." Doreko said to Eki, and with his voiced, the attention of dozens of eyes followed."

"It may take a bit of work, but I can take the Tigrex so sweat..." Eki lied, choosing his words very carefully given the situation. Cornered by his own bravado and his general nervousness, he stood motionless, afraid he would fall over from the shock of what he just uttered. He knew it was a lie before he uttered it, but as he swallowed the truth of his ineptitude, he looked into the eyes of that small child who made his day. He repaid the boys adulation with a gift, but this, this felt different to him.

"A Tigrex is nothing to boast about boy, can you do this or not, lives are on the line here, and yours won't be another..." Doreko said plainly, as if his wisdom could pierce through all of Eki's fluff. The Elder walked up to the arrogant hunter and starred into his eye from below.

Eki took one more look at Zeshin, who starred into him and saw nothing but hope for his mother. With that, Eki sighed, closed his eyes and turned his gaze back to the Elder. "I'll find and kill this monster, and I will bring your mother home Zeshin... I... I promise..." Eki to the Elder said as the heavy footsteps of Aki's Silver Rathalos greaves drew everyone's attention. He stood there, effortlessly lifting close to one hundred pounds of monster parts and metal, displaying Eki's near finished Tigrex armor, still smoking and its metal rack.

"Hope you're ready to wear this then..." Aki said, starring into the eyes of the foolish, yet noble Eki.

It took him a while to put the armor on and even longer to make the trip to the woods that led to mountain. When he got to the base camp, he did not even bother to look into the Blue Item box, his anxiety causing him to be careless. He shambled onto the trail that lead to the base, his knees shaking as he tripped over a rock in the path, trying to gather his footing causing him to further slip and land on his back. Feeling his head ring, he woke up with stars in his eyes, rubbing them to find himself on the ground near the base camp and not on the trail. Around him was a group of Felynes, some adjusting the wheels on the cart, others tending to an injured Felyne. One in particular stood at his feet, its small hands on its hips as if it were waiting for him to wake up.

"Nya, bout time you woke up lazy. You got a monster to hunt nya, so quit lollygagging." The perturbed Felyne said as it glanced at its injured comrade who was being fanned now before he looked back to Eki.

"Where am I, wasn't I just on the trail..." Eki thought to himself before the terrifying truth flooded his mind. He was fighting a Tigrex and made an error in judgment, allowing the beast to gain an upper hand and put him down, thankfully not for good. "Dammit, how long was I out?" Eki asked as he made his move to stand to his feet, dusting himself off.

"Too long is how long nya. Saving you, were down a man so we won't be able to save you again. So take the stuff in the box nya, that's what it's there for." The Tabby Felyne said before moving to help its friends.

"That's another person caught in my mess..." Eki said in a sorrowful voice. Moving to the box, he acquired the Rations and First-Aid Medicine, gathering the Portable Shock Trap and Tranquillizer Bombs. Packing his bag to the brim, he took one last look at his Felyne rescuers and reached into his pouch, grabbing his only Lifepowder. "Here, for your friend and the rest of you, I'll take care of this..." were the last things he said before dashing back down the trail, hell bent on bring down this beast before it could do any more damage.


	3. Chapter 3

[A/N: So sorry this took so long to upload, with finals kicking my butt and no time to write I eked this one out after classes were over. Hope you enjoy, as always please review and the next chapter will be posted around New Years. Again thanks for reading this and stay tuned the finally is gonna be intense.]

* * *

Chapter 3

Captives and Creatures

As Eki scaled the mountain, he cautiously took the time to survey his surroundings. Looking for any sign of animal movements would signify that something had disturbed them, something large and striped no doubt. Climbing the vines on the north face of the cliff proved to be taxing, and as Eki arose to the snow, covered top a Bullfango was waiting for him. Already alerted from the scraping of his boots on the mountainside and his labored breathing, the Bullfango was scratching the ground in its usual territorial pattern. Quickly standing his ground Eki waited for the beast to charge forward, attempting to gore him with its tusks. Eki leaped away the instance its brown bristled hide came close enough, rolling back into a standing position, his sword already in hand. As the cumbersome beast turned to face him Eki had already brought his blade down between the Bullfango's eyes. Staggering the beast, Eki ended its life with a slash across the face, severing its head top portion sideways. The white snow was given a taste of the fresh kill, the Bullfango's crimson pooling around its body as Eki sheathed his own weapon. Retrieving his carving knife, Eki took several cuts of Raw Meat, discarding the pelts and head that were left in no salvageable condition. Covering the meat with snow, he placed them in their appropriate satchel, taking two of the rations to replenish his own lost stamina.

**_"I have to approach this differently… Supplies are limited as I'm losing my nerve with every passing second…" _**Eki said in-between chews of the Ration. Bland and tasteless as it was, he felt the prickling of renewed strength in his once taxed muscles, indicating the Ratio was working and he should get back to his hunt. Spying the opening to mountain no more than 20 feet away, Eki continued forward, looking for his quarry, considering that the monster could be doing the very same. He found himself back inside of the winding corridor that made up the top of the summit. As he surmised, all the small beasts like the Anteka and whatever Popo's had not been killed had fled already, leaving behind less docile others. The Giaprey were still there, squawking along with a few Blangoes as he traveled between the zones searching for the Tigrex. His armor began to prickle at his skin as he came close to the zone where he was defeated, and in response Eki began to reach for the hilt of his blade as moved in. He could hear some shuffling, and then there was a gush of wind, his armor's touch softening meaning one thing, the Tigrex finished its meal and ventured to another spot. Turning the corner Eki was not surprised to see that the monster ravaged the carcass of the Popo, its jaws and teeth finishing what it started with its terrible claws. Beyond tusks and some haunches of bloody fur the Popo was nothing more than a stain on the mountain, a portrait of carnage and tribute to the monster's ferocity. None of which made Eki feel any braver, but regardless he followed the Monster's path into the next zone.

When Eki entered the zone he was greeted by three things; a fierce gust of wind, the screech of Blangoes being decimated by a still hungry Tigrex, and the surge of adrenaline from both the sensation of his armor and the horror of the Tigrex, seemingly fed and unfazed from previous injuries. The Blangoes that managed to escape the monster's wrath barred their fangs defiantly, but unfortunately, bravado is still no defense against such a powerful foe. One of the more unfortunate Blangoes was torn in half by the Tigrex's spin attack, the remaining two taking note and keeping their distance. Having seen enough, Eki threw a rock at the adjacent wall, the sound ricocheting shortly confusing the Tigrex and giving Eki the precious moment he need launch his sneak attack. Moving with great speed, Eki darted to the side of the beast and executed a series of slashes, the monster's attention now focused. As soon as Eki moved to deliver one more slash in a long sweeping motion that accompanied a back step, the Tigrex mirrored his movement, hoping backward itself. The monster's move was so sift the back draft from its movement pulled Eki forward a bit; its landing shaking the ground under his feet. The monster roared at the sight of Eki, the hunter himself not sure if it recognized him as the one who injured his tail earlier. Positioning himself, Eki watched the monster's movements, its quick snapping jaws and focused eyes gave Eki an indication as to what it was planning. Eki watched as the Tigrex lurched one of its massive arms back, indicating it was preparing another volley of flying rock. Anticipating this, Eki dodged to the monster's extended side, barring down as the monster moved to reposition itself.

Beginning with a stab, Eki proceeded to turn the handle of his blade upward, tearing through the hide and striped scales as he made another quick slash across the exposed wound. Retreating again as the monster cried out in anger, Eki seemed to have found himself a stratagem that was working. He repeated his efforts, moving in a semicircle as he kept a close watch on the Tigrex's moves, many of his hits were being delivered to ineffective spots, but served his purpose well enough, Eki finding he was not brave enough to make a move on the head and neck. "This chipping is only making him madder, but I can't afford any mistakes this time." Eki said to himself, admitting the fault within his plan, but seeing no other alternative he continued his evasive style until the Tigrex's roar blew he away, the monster beyond furious at the cat-and-mouse approach to hunting Eki adopted. Landing on his back near the wall, Eki quickly stood to his feet, ignoring both the ringing in his ears and the sting of his muscles after the collision. As he watched, the Tigrex was well on its way toward him to finish the job, and having no other option Eki once again sheathed his weapon and dived away from the Tigrex, whose tooth filled lunging bite smashed directly into the mountains side.

Eki was about to brace himself for the monster's inevitable about face, but then he noticed something peculiar. It appeared that the Tigrex was unable to move from its position, the force of its body and its razor sharp teeth firmly planted it inside the cliff wall. The thought of the Tigrex being powerful enough to shatter rock with its mouth was a terrifying idea, but Eki saw this as a most advantageous accident. The Tigrex's back and tail were exposed, along with its massive wings and head as it struggled to free itself. Seizing the moment, Eki unleashed a barrage of slashes to the wings and back of the monster. He cut several bloody swathes out of the Tigrex, its hot blood splashing against the snow, its open wounds steaming as Eki continued his assault. Eki could feel the blood from the monster run down the edge of his blade, covering his hands and making the weapon harder to grasp as his attacks began to bounce instead of cutting. He paused for a moment as the Tigrex responded to the pain he was inflicting, its movements more desperate and erratic, wiping the access blood on his armor and Leggings. Eki swiped the blood and chunks of flesh and scale from his blade, Eki saw that the sheen on his weapon was now a dull yellow. Eki then noticed the thrashing tail of the Tigrex, which was still very much damaged, and taking a cue from the growing danger of the moment, Eki raised his arms. Putting whatever strength he had left in his still burning muscles, he brought down the edge of his sword with a mighty cleave, severing the tail.

The shock of losing its tail was all the Tigrex needed to free itself, jumping backward yet again, now both enraged and fatigued from the loss of blood. Roaring in its typical fashion, Eki ran his Whetstone across his blade twice, restoring some of the green before tossing the used stone at the monster. _**"Hurts don't it?"**_ Eki said taunting the monster; he began to rush at him again. Eki moved to dodge, but the monster didn't stop moving, its clumsily staggered and changed its momentum, again heading toward Eki who didn't have the stamina to evade again. The Tigrex's clumsy rush was not as powerful, but still did enough to send him flying. This time, much to his fortune, he landed in a tuft of snow. As he gathered his barring and sheathed his weapon, he saw the Tigrex spinning rapidly, trying to understand the loss of its tail while enraged was proving too much for the beast to comprehend. Eki landed near the remaining Blango he began screeching and barring its fangs as Eki stood up.

**_"I… gotta end this… this thing will kill me if that happens again."_** Eki said, reaching into his bag for a potion. As he felt through the bag, he noticed that his usually organized satchel was in chaos, he could not locate his potions or rations. As the panic began to set in and the monsters eyes beaming with malice set their sights upon him, Eki felt a pulsating metallic cylinder wrapped in netting. **_"You're small potatoes, come back when you're a Blangonga…"_** Eki said ignoring the jeers of the lone Blango, Eki stood his feet and began to evade the lumbering Tigrex that began to head his way. As the monster attempted to bite the Blango who began throwing snow and ice at its still bleeding tail, Eki crept to a clear spot and began to setup his Shock Trap. Kneeling down and fumbling with the latches responsible for containing the metallic and hide roping, Eki set the primer that contained a still living Thunder Bug, stepping back as the three-second timer went off. Activating the primer, the Thunder Bug ignited in a chain reaction that electrified the netting, Eki watched at a safe distance.

The crackling of the electricity in the fresh powder caused the Tigrex to turn its attention toward Eki and away from the Blango. The Tigrex prepared its arm to smash the ground, hurling three large rocks at Eki who moved to a safe distance to avoid their deadly collision. **_"Come on so I can carve the rest of you like I did your tail. I don't have all day for you to toss rocks at me." _**Eki said in mild desperation, as if the Tigrex could understand his taunts. As it appeared that the Tigrex was about to charge at him head on, the monster leaped over the trap, crashing into the ground yet again Eki narrowly escaped. As the Tigrex shook the snow from its snout and eyes, Eki rounded the trap, again attempting to lure the monster in his snare. **_"Come on… come on…"_** Eki said as he began to feel the fatigue set in, making his body feel as if it weighted a ton. As the Tigrex turned sluggishly as well, growling and snapping its teeth, Eki reached into his bag, fumbling for the Tranquillizer Bombs. The Tigrex, still enraged, began to bar down on Eki, seemingly playing into his trap rushing headlong into the Shock Trap. "I'm right here!" Eki screamed as he palmed one of the gaseous orbs, waiting for the exact moment that it would become useful. Without fail, the Tigrex's advance ended with its entrapment, the monster's huge body surging with electricity as it laid paralyzed in the netting.

It almost hurt to smile, but Eki could care less, hurling the first Tranquillizer Bomb at the monster. The gases escaped their shell, as the bombs fragile exterior shattered against the Tigrex's body; rife with open wounds the gases would have a further numbing effect on the monster. One would not be enough, and as such, Eki continued fumbling fastidiously for the second bomb. Growing stressed with each passing second seeming like an eternity in which the Tigrex could break free, Eki tried to calm himself, this lasting all but a fraction of a second as his hand found its way to the remaining weapon. **_"Not so big now are?"_** Eki said, leaning back to toss the Bomb, feeling the great sense of accomplishment that came at the end of the hunt. Short-lived thought it was, Eki found himself stumbling over, his head spinning from a blow that came from nowhere. As he hit the ground, his felt the Tranquiller crush in his hand, the loud shrill shrieks of the Blango he ignored filling his ears. As he reached for his temple, he could feel the wet and warm trickle of his blood, spilled by a large chunk of ice next to him on the ground, spat no doubt by the Blango. The smashing against the walls, the grip of the Tigrex's bite, the fatigue of his muscles and sting in his eyes all paled in comparison to the helplessness he felt as he watched the Tigrex breaking free of its captivity.

Eki wanted nothing more than to slaughter the Blango, but with the sound of the net snapping, Eki could only hobble away to safety. With no potions or rations, Eki knew the chances of completing this hunt were slim to nonexistent, and as he heard to audacious roar of the Tigrex, he noticed several of his satchel items strewn about in the bloodied snow out of the corner of his eye. **_"Dammit…"_** was all Eki could mutter and he clenched his fist, still struggling to his feet. Feeling the tear of distress well up in his, Eki continued his shuffle to the cave mouth of the mountain, leaning on the wind-sharpened ice protruding from the ground. He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, he wanted this to be over, but none of these thing would surmount to the Tigrex being slain or his promise being fulfilled, and as he entered the cavern away from the Tigrex, he was comforted by nothing or no one save the echoes of his own shallow breath. He now had to find some way to salvage this hunt, with capturing the Tigrex an opportunity lost like so many of the items he now would have to forage for.


	4. Chapter 4

[A/N: Well, being sick as a dog was very counter productive, so let me start by saying I'm so sorry to anyone that was waiting for the final chapter in this fic. Thank you all for your reviews and constant rereads, I was very surprised to see the occasional spikes in viewers on my Traffic meter. This marks the end of Eki's journey, and due to the wait, I added some extra stuff to make up for this chapter being so late. Enjoy and please review now that the tale is complete. Special thanks to Xen Kenshin and all the others who offered reviews. You guys were my inspiration to finish, I couldn't have done it without you.]

* * *

Chapter 4

Soul Survivor

The pain from his wounds nearly blinded him; his fingers ached, gnawed at relentlessly by the cold snow. As he sifted through the cold, rotting wood that lay stuck in the frozen earth for Blue Mushrooms, he grew frustrated as his breathe clouded his vision. The harsh wind had blown in his face unforgiving, whatever tears Eki shed now frozen above his cheeks, ad he found himself to annoyed to wipe away the icy streams along the sides of his face. _**"I've blown it, the Tigrex I probably long gone, and even if it were still here I don't have the supplies or experience to kill it…" **_Eki said placing the meager4 mushrooms inside of his near empty satchel. Despite the pain from gathering Mushrooms, Eki could not help but to have the suspicion that he would be unable to find the other necessary component required for potions. Herbs, standard or Mountain had eluded him for some time now, and while searching for them to removed the sharp pains and numbness in his chest he stumbled upon a frozen beehive, from which he was able to extract some honey, as well as the mushrooms he pocketed.

It was in remembering the facts that the other purpose of his mission yoked within his mind. _**"Zeshin's mother… she's still here somewhere…"**_ Eki said to himself, slowly standing to his feet. Thinking back to Zeshin's frantic father, Eki remembered the man returned to the village empty handed, no doubt to reduce the burden effecting his prompt arrival in asking for help. _**"If he didn't bring them back with him, maybe… just maybe his bag is around here somewhere."**_ Eki said to himself, his echo bouncing off the walls in the frigid air. His rations now depleted and with the aid of a Hot Drink, Eki found himself almost completely exhausted, taking careful steps to tread the grounds inside the mountain lightly. Walking down the twisting cavern to an exposed portion of the snow-covered mountain, Eki held is sides as he edged the side of the narrow path, his Longsword scraping against the side of the frozen cave wall. Approaching the cavern mouth, Eki breathed deeply, perturbed by a small noise. It sounded as if it was a weak cry, or a scathing and scratching of sort, and cautiously he turned to investigate. As far as Eki knew, he had slain a majority of the small mobs, wasting much of his remaining stamina in frustration and anger. Assured the there were not any more monsters, those he hadn't slain most definitely scarred of by the battle through and noise of the Tigrex.

Looking around again and listening for an unnoticed noise Eki placed his ears to the cave wall. He could not hear anything save for his own heartbeat, but regardless he remained vigilant. Looking down below the twisting bridge of ice and rock, he noticed a scattering path in the snow. The tracks did not resemble those of any of the four-legged monsters, and the impressions were not so deeply embedded and spacious to have accommodated a Giadrome or Giaprey. Sighing, Eki estimated the time it would take given his condition to walk back down, and recklessly, he took a deep breath, and leaped across the chasm. Quickly unsheathing his Longsword, Eki stabbed the cave wall, the pain in his hands reignited as he began to feel his grip slipping. _**"Bad, bad move, bad move!" **_Eki stammered as he dangled, looking for the safe edge, he spied from away. Swinging his tired and ever weary growing body closer, when his feet reached the wall again he kicked off in the direction off the trail. Slamming against the ground, and barely on the edge, Eki panted as he lifted his body, which felt like a ton. Using his sword as a crutch, Eki began to follow the trail into a small cavern. As the cavern began to grow increasingly narrow, the tracks became drag marks in the snow, the carriage of what was being drug showed it as the earth became upturned and mixed with the snow. As he got closer the noise he heard become more localized, the echo more muted and the scratching more audible. It was then Eki began to notice that the blood on the ground, and how it lacked the distinct odor of monster blood. Scraping the ground with his sword, he noticed it had frozen upon the very top of the snow and ice.

It was then the passage opened up, and Eki notice he had made a complete circle from within the mountain, returning to an area where he could see the small clearing overlooking a step that lead to the top of the mountain. He also made another discovery, a woman with long blue hair, her Mafumofu coat soaked in blood, her head rested against a bushel of plants. As Eki rushed to her, he noticed he breathing was very shallow, her eyes clenched as she suffered from the pain of her injuries, which looked to be dire indeed. Approaching with caution, Eki stabbed his sword into the ground close to himself and knelt to check. _**"Don't be afraid Okaa-san, I'm here to help…"**_ Eki said clearing the sweat frozen hair from her face, and removing his gloves, placing his very cold, but considerably warmer hand on her fore head. He attempted to offer her some small comfort, and as she began to speak, Eki placed his hand over her mouth. "Please… save your strength Okaa-san…" Eki said removing his helm, his fiery red crop of hair matted to his head. Scooping some clean snow into his hand, Eki blew his breath onto the powder, causing it to melt in his cupped hand. Placing his hands to her mouth, Eki poured the water inside, massaging her throat making it easier to swallow. _**"If you can, slowly tell me where you are hurt." **_Eki said, his jitters calmed and his focus driven on the mother of a small boy h made a seemingly impossible promise too. The woman opened her eyes, bright blue like her son has and so filled with pain, she motioned to her side and stomach. Nodding, Eki spied the heavy coat and knew it would only hinder his treatment of her. Taking out his carving knife, he easily sliced through the dressing and spied the origin of her wounds, very sharp shrapnel from the rock attack, no doubt launched by the Tigrex.

"_**Heh, I would've made a far better medic than I would have a hunter…" **_Eki said to the women, whose gaze was now focused on the now modest young man. Her face was racked with pain, but her mouth, her mouth formed a smile that helped to ease the nervous hands of the hunter.

"_**What… what is your name Hunter?"**_ Laara asked, turning her face away from the wounds that were now exposed to the cave air.

"_**Eki, my name is Eki Okaa-san. If I am going to help you I need to know if the herbs you were carrying were medicinal."**_ Eki said as he steadied his grip on his Carving Knife.

"_**Yes… many of them are. The mountain herbs were lost when we fled from the monster…. My husband, did he make it back to the village?"**_ Laara asked her mind elsewhere, her speech greatly slowing down and her breath deepening.

"_**Yes he did, he was the one to bring us news of what happened… The others with you didn't make it I'm afraid… I was asked, by your son to bring you home. I'm not going to let him down, but first I have to remove the shrapnel."**_ Eki said. Holding her head with his free hand, he set down the carving Knife and reached for several herbs, grabbing a bunch. Reaching for a nearby rock, Eki cleared away some of the snow to find a hard flat surface upon which he could begin to make his potions. Working fastidiously, Eki effectively sliced with Blue Mushrooms he pulled from his satchel into pieces small enough to grind, and after a moment or so, he had a thick salve, to which he added the frozen honey. The mixture took on a color change, and become a vibrant green, some of which Eki mixed with snow and scooped into the only unbroken bottle left in his satchel. Taking a deep breath, Eki nervously covered the edges of his blade with the salve, and nervously he reached for Laara exposed skin. Shaking, his hands were made steady when Laara reached out and placed her own hand onto his own, and as he looked at her, he felt a calm wash over himself.

"_**You will do fine… my stomach and sides are very numb so don't fret over causing me any pain…"**_ Laara said to Eki, closing her eyes as if she sipped into sleep. With that in mind, Eki began the arduous work of removing the exposed rocks protruding from her frozen over wounds. It several minutes, but Eki worked very careful, and with some effort, he removed much of the sharp rocks in and around her skin. Sealing her wounds with the remaining salve, Eki knew there was still so much internal damage that could not be repaired by a Mega Potion. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Eki cleaned his Carving Knife and used the snow to clean the caked blood from her body before replacing her garments and overcoat. Rummaging through the remaining contents of Laara's herb bag, Eki's eyes lit up at the sight go the contents outside of the herbs. Inside were the remains of several pieces of dried Popo meat and several Hot Drinks.

"_**No wonder she was able to last as long as she did…"**_ Eki said, ravenously attacking the meat and downing the Hot Drink, the latter of which he regretted when his chest felt like it housed an inferno. Cooling his throat with a sip of the Mega Potion, Eki resealed the cap, and placed it back within his satchel. Settling himself, Eki mixed some snow in the remained of his bottle of Hot Drink, hoping to not dehydrate Laara further given her condition. After repackaging his equipment and the remainder of the Gatherer's bounty, Eki stood to his feet rejuvenated. Sheathing both his Sword and knife, Eki bundled her supplies with his own, and as gently as he could, lifted Laara into his arms. She was soundly asleep, but still in critical condition, and Eki knew that if he made it to base camp, the village could be alerted and help would be sent faster than he could traverse his way back on foot. Walking down the caverns back onto the lower cliffs, Eki smiled as the setting sun shone some degree of warmth on his face. Taking great care to not jostle his carriage more than necessary, Eki knew the base camp was only two zones away, and it seemed with the Popo and Anteka back grazing at the mountain's base Eki would indeed be able to cut his losses. Placing Laara over his shoulder, Eki climbed down the vines on the side of the cliff carefully, and once he was on the ground, he placed her back in the security of his arms. Her breathing had stabilized, but her skin took on a pale color, and was growing colder to the touch. Increasing the speed at which he stepped, Eki treaded past the grazing beasts and toward the end of the zone. It was then he stopped dead in his tracks, his body shocked by the feeling of his armor, and it was then that Eki's heart sank, and the effects of the Mega Potion and meat were negated.

He felt the earth seemingly shatter under his feat, the tremors made his already shaking knees buckle. The noise of the fleeing Popo and Anteka were soon deafened by the roar of angry, wounded beast, one who seemed to have tracked Eki to this location. Feeling the weight of the woman in his arms, and the promise to a boy and an entire village in his heart, a fiery passion beyond the sensation of a sea of Hot Drinks burned inside the hunter. He had endured so much at the hand of fate, this beast, and his own hubris, but he would not let Laara suffer any more than she had. Quickly setting her in the high grass, Eki turned and unsheathed his blade in one motion. _**"Enough! I have had enough of running from you."**_ was all Eki said as he turned to face the beast who tauntingly roared again. The sheen on his Longsword glowed a dim Bluish Green, indicating that his weapon was not to its optimal form. So many thoughts cluttered his mind, all of them emptied as the Tigrex snapped its jaws, and litters of saliva pour from the beasts' maw as it lurched forward. Dodging the charge, Eki rolled and rushed toward the monster's tail. Hacking away, Eki made a sweeping slash in retreat as the monster snapped it terrible jaws at him. _**"It's tired, just as tired of this as I am…"**_ Eki said, sheathing his swords to run in the opposite direction. He was counting on the Tigrex taking hi lead and following him away from the injured woman, but the fatigued and starved beast sniffed the air, and eventually it would notice the scent of her fresh blood. _**"No, no, no you dummy! I'm right here!"**_ Eki shouted. Much to his dismay and horror, the beast ignored his pleas and began to turn toward the injured Laara, the grass failing to fully conceal her from the monster's sense of smell. Desperate, Eki unsheathed his sword and recklessly charged the Tigrex's rear full on. Making several slashing after a quick stab, Eki raised his arms, and with a mighty cleave, Eki sliced through the Tigrex's flesh and bone, striking the ground as he bounced back, watching the Tigrex slammed into a tree. The falling tree crashed on the low cliff, covering up Laara's body. The wounded Tigrex was now enraged beyond comprehension, roaring loudly and smashing its claws against the ground hurling rocks toward Eki.

Moving swiftly, Eki darted in the opposite direction, only to be rushed into by the monster's large head. Smashing against the cliff wall, Eki rolled out of the way, as the monster turned in its trajectory and crashed into the side of the wall. Its teeth still damaged from before, the edging would, last long, and quickly hopping to his feet, and Eki stood poised to attack again. It was then he realized that he hit the wall harder than he first imagined, and in doing so, he had no control over his movements, his eyes blinded by stars as he stumbled desperately to come back to his senses. The Tigrex meanwhile had freed itself from its wall bound captivity, and spun ferociously in a circle, knocking Eki further away than before. Weary, Eki stood to is feet, so very close to the path into the adjacent area of the mountain but despite her coverings, he refused to leave Laara's body to this beast. Running to gain distance between him in the monster, Eki watched as the Tigrex gave chase, stopping only for a split second to anticipate the Tigrex's next action, leaping to the side once the running stopped and the Tigrex launched itself at the hunter. Quickly removing the Mega Potion from his satchel, he downed the remaining contents in one swig, his injuries half healed. His body wracked in pain from the battering and bruising he had taken, Eki withdrew his blade. _**"Come on you ugly bastard. I swear that even if I die here, you will choke on this blade and I'll croak happy knowing I took a piece of your ass with me to oblivion." **_Eki said arrogantly, spitting blood onto the ground as he pointed to the monster's severed tailed. The Tigrex rushed forward and taking a huge risk Eki valiantly made a wide slash hoping back across the monster's face, causing it to stagger back and reel in pain. Blood and spittle dripping from his mouth, Eki advanced forward to attack the Tigrex who turned, limping away in retreat. As his blade collided with its hide, Eki violently bounced back, attacking to again to the same result. It was then he noticed that he weapon was a Dull Yellow-Orange, not sharp enough to pierce the monster's hide.

"_**No, it'll get away at this rate…"**_ Eki said, making another lunge at the Tigrex's bloody stump of a tail, its retreat leaving a crimson trail. The pain from that attack returned the Tigrex's attention to the reckless hunter. Eki felt something tugging at him, from deep within himself as his hands remained clenched around the hilt of his blade. It was as if his anger, his sorrows, his feelings of being weak and inept all stemming from this battle seemed to feed the red glow that extended beyond his blade. It was now he and the jaws of the panting and exhausted Tigrex, their eyes locked on one another intensely. As the breeze blew the wildflowers at the water's edge, a serene calm filled the area, the tension sliced by the advance of both Hunter and the Hunted, roles seemingly interchangeable to both participants. The Tigrex made its move with the savagery in a bite attack, its hands and wings suffering heavy damage leaving it no recourse to do much else. Eki meanwhile poured his rage into his weapon, the blade itself acting an s a conduit for the Hunter's fury, Eki having activated his weapon's soul charge. The blade howled as it soared through the air, the problem of bouncing and sharpness no longer an issue as it tore through the weakening monster's defense. As Eki pressed the attack, he seemed to have stun locked the wounded monster, his final attack in a series of slashes and stabs, cleaving straight down the center of the monster's skull, effectively splitting it in two. Lurching forward, the beast's tongue hit the ground as the Tigrex collapsed. His armor cover in blood and sinew from the Tigrex's flesh, the skin on his face soaked in sweat, his knees trembling from booth pain in astonishment, to Eki the moment seemed almost surreal. Then the horn of the Ballooner blared I his ear, indeed signifying the end of the hunt, collapsing to his knees in a pool of the monster's blood, Eki could feel the stream of tears wash down his face. He was filled a torrent of mixed emotions, but that did not stop him from vocalizing his elation. _**"I DID IT, I… I FINALLY KILLED THIS DAMN THING!"**_ Eki said, taking a moment to catch his breath.

His mission was completed, but he still had a promise to fulfill, and cautiously standing up, he waved to the ballooner to send the guild to retrieve the monster carcass. Running over to the downed tree with his sword in hand, Eki carefully cut away the branches so he could retrieve Laara's body. His heart pounded as he frantically reached to check her vitality, her breath now at its most shallow and her skin cold to the touch, Eki carefully retrieved her body and placed her in his arms. _**"HURRY AND GET ME BACK, SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT!" **_he screamed to the Guild Cart that soon arrived.

"_**Nya, what about the monster?"**_ said one curious Felyne as it adjusted its helm.

"_**That hunk of meat can wait she can't!"**_ Eki cried to the Guild Felynes.

"_**Nya, nya, load em' up fellas, and make sure we get back as fast as possible!" **_

As Eki returned to the village, it seemed everyone was waiting for him in the town square. They got word of his victory before his arrival, and there response to seeing the cart carrying the body of the Tigrex with much excitement. This excitement was quelled by the somber sight of Eki stepping off the cart with the body of Laara. Both Rojeru and young Zeshin's were among those in the front of the crowd, eagerly awaiting any word as to Lara's condition. With a stoic face that still seemed damp from freshly dried tears, Eki delivered Laara in to the arms of her husband. _**"I'm sorry… I'm sorry I couldn't bring her back sooner…" **_Eki said to her husband, his eyes moving to those of the small boy he befriended in what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"_**You brought her back friend, and for that you have my eternal gratitude. Come Zeshin, let us go and be with you mother before she departs."**_ Rojeru said, cradling his wife in his arms, leaving before he broke in front of the crowd. Doreko walked over to Eki and offered his hand to the young hunter, a great sign of respect from the Village Elder that Eki was more than appreciative to receive, but in his heart and mind, he could not stop thinking about the family he had reunited.

"_**You've done well son, go and see your wounds are attended too, don't worry about the Herbs."**_ Doreko said to Eki.

Remembering at the last moment, Eki handed his Hunter's Satchel over to the elder as he watched the father and son disappear at the edge of the Village into their quant dwelling. _**"I managed to recover them Elder, excuse me." **_Eki said, respectfully bowing out and walking over toward the Blacksmith. Aki, clearly visible and not immersed in work at his forge seemed as if he was waiting for Eki's return, for better or worse he was not sure, and nor did he care. _**"You've done well." **_Aki said in a gruff manner, his arms folded, his silver Rathalos greaves gleaming in the orange light of dusk.

"_**Make me a sword from those parts of the monster, the rest of it you can keep for the equivalent in zenny…"**_ Eki said as he walked to his home, his bed awaiting him. Entering his dwelling, Eki threw his helmet across the room in frustration, and within the solace of his own home, he wept in silence.

**EPILOGUE**

Eki had slept for nearly an entire day, and when he awoke, he was told that Laara had past in her sleep, making her peace with her child and husband as they said their goodbyes. Dressing in his simple Village garb, Eki returned to Aki, obtaining the newly made Tigrex sword. Carrying a weapon in the Village was forbidden unless one was going to a hunt, but Eki had a specific mission in mind as he ignored the long-standing taboo. At the funeral pyre, the villages stood in their ceremonial garb, saying prayers and weeping in usual fashion. Rojeru stood closest to his wife's pyre, tears streaming down his face. On the edge of the crowd was the young Zeshin, his face balled up in anger, visibly frustrated. _**"Zeshin… again I am sorry I couldn't save her." **_Eki said in sorrow-filled voice, kneeling down to the boy's level.

"_**You didn't kill my mom... That monster did, and you killed him. Thanks…"**_ Zeshin said as his small voice was filled with so much anger.

"_**Zeshin, don't you want to go stand next to your father?"**_ Eki asked the boy.

"_**No… I don't want to be near him…"**_ Zeshin said, starring at his mother's pyre.

"_**Zeshin…"**_ Eki started, but realized he had a reason to be here tonight. _**"Zeshin, don't be angry at your father. He did all he could for your mom Zeshin, trust me, but his is no hunter, he had no way of fighting that monster."**_ Eki said as he revealed the Tigrex Longsword to Zeshin. _**"But now you do, I want you to promise me that you won't hold a grudge against your father Zeshin, and in return, I'll teach you to be a hunter, a strong hunter, a better one than I am… What do you say?" **_Eki said, giving the boy a warm smile as he placed the blade in his small hands.

"_**I… Ok, I promise, but I want to start now!" **_Zeshin said, his brave face a facade to his true emotions, as tears began to stream down his face.

"_**Tomorrow little buddy, I'll start training you tomorrow. Tonight, let us say goodbye to your mother properly, your life as a common villager is over. Tomorrow begins your life as a Monster Hunter."**_ Eki said, rubbing his hand in Zeshin's hair. The pair of them stood as they watched the fires of the pyre blaze into the sky, Laara's essence returning to the world as her son wrapped the strap of his new weapon over his shoulder and chest, the long weapon dragging on the ground. The fires that burned that night were soon to be dwarfed by the fires of the spirit of one boy who would seek to become the greatest hunter in his village.


End file.
